


Follow Your Lead

by marvelousfvcks



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-04 17:45:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15152387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelousfvcks/pseuds/marvelousfvcks
Summary: Prompt: Astonished*Written for Redgillan's 'Steve Rogers' 100th Birthday Celebration' on tumblr'





	Follow Your Lead

_Astonished (adjective): greatly surprised or impressed; amazed._

* * *

 

“I love you.”

Those three small words had the power to completely turn Steve’s world on his head. The weight of them hitting the frail man like a tonne of bricks.

His head snapped up to stare at you over the rim of his sketchbook, blue eyes wide and filled with awe as he tried to process what you had said, lips mouthing words without making any sound as he tried to grasp at any train of thought, tried to make sense of what was happening, his nimble fingers frozen over the page, pencil still in hand where he was outlining your figure.

The declaration had come out of nowhere and although it had the potential to change everything between you two, you sat there completely unfazed, a content expression on your face and soft smile on your lips, as if you had told him it was raining, not that you were in _love_ with him.

“You don’t have to say anything Stevie,” You giggled, arching a brow teasingly at his slack-jawed expression. “I just thought you should know,” You cleared your throat with a slight shrug of your shoulder, removing your gaze from his own to pick at a loose thread on the couch.

_Nerves_.

Steve had never seen you _anxious_ before, you’d always been so effortlessly bold; you were the one to sit yourself opposite him in the coffee shop after yet another of his failed double dates, you were to one who gave him a blinding smile as you introduced yourself without a second thought, you were the one who had taken his hand in yours without even sparring him a glance when he met your friends, knowing how nervous _he_ was, you had been the one who had walked out of his room wearing nothing but his dress shirt from the date before as you shamelessly introduced yourself to a bewildered Bucky as Steve’s face flushed cherry-red.

No, nerves weren’t your forte. Unlike Steve, you had no apprehension in your dealings with your heart, you loved who you loved and you made sure to let them know how much you cherished them. Steve had seen it with every interaction you made with those around you, you never wasted time to remind someone just how much you cared for them.

_‘You never know what tomorrow brings Stevie, you’ll never know what kind of regrets you’ll have at the end, but letting those you hold dear know just how much you love them? You’ll never regret that.’_

Those were the words you had told him when he had asked one night, staring at each other as you snuggled in closer to the pillow beneath your head as Steve’s fingers trailed up and down the bare skin of your arm. Steve could only wish to be as free with his love as you were with your own, you knew he struggled to be open, _vulnerable_ , in the same ways you did.

Steve’s methods of processing emotion involved locking it away in the furthest corner of his mind never to be seen again, something you had been slowly getting him to cease doing.

‘ _Don’t overthink it Steve_ ,’ You had mumbled as you moved to drape your leg over his hips, resting your head on his chest and hearing the steady thud-thud of his heart under your ear as he held you close to him, your words replaying on a loop in his mind for the rest of the night.

Now as he watched you clear your throat before settling back into the pose he had instructed you in, almost as if you hadn’t just completely changed both of their lives, he knew you weren’t expecting you to say it back but he wanted to. God, did he want to, of course he did.

It was you.

You’d come barrelling into his life and showed him a whole other way to live, one that involved being able to open about what he felt, especially for you. Placing down his sketchbook, he crossed the room to you, watching as you looked up at him in confusion and stealing your breath in a kiss before you could ask him what was wrong.

Pulling away, Steve pressed his forehead in yours, eyes remained closed in bliss as he cupped your jaw, sighing against your still-parted lips.

You had been the forward one your entire relationship, you wore your heart on your sleeve and Steve most certainly did not, but he had slowly begun to be more open, even if it was only with himself. He could only assume it was time to follow your lead once more.

“I love you too, Y/N.”

Steve basked in the way your eyes widened in disbelief at his words before filling with unshed tears, the way your lips slowly curled in a serene smile, your expression of unadulterated joy that made his own lips split into an elated grin.

Steve knew in that moment that you had been right this whole time; seeing the way your eyes sparkled at the knowledge that you were cherished and wanted and _loved_ , was most definitely worth the risk, worth putting himself out there. And Steve soon became addicted to seeing that look, the words falling from his lips over and over again.


End file.
